Awning.



Patehted July's, woo.

. A. L. CLARK.

AWNING.

(Application filed Oct. 19, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

7////////////flm NORRIS vrrzns co. momuma, WASHINGTON, a. c

' Pa tented July 3, 1900.

No. 652,835. 4 A. L. CLARK.

) AWNING.

(Application filqd Oct. 19, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. To all whom it may concern:

A'TENT rules. i

ALFRED L. CLARK, or DUBUQUE, IOWA.

AWNING.

SPEGiFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,835, dated July 3, 1900.

Application filed October 19,1899. Serial No. 734,142. (No model.)

Be it known that I, ALFRED L. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dubuque, in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Awnings; and I do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to an improvement in awnings; and it consists in, first, a board having brackets secured to the opposite ends thereof and a rod which is stretched between the two brackets and has its ends extending through them, nuts applied to the ends of the rod for stretching it, and a sleeve placed upon the rod between the brackets, combined with a wheel secured to the sleeve, whereby the sleeve is caused to revolve independently of the rod; second, the arrangement and combination of parts, which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The objects of my invention are to utilize an iron rod which is tightly stretched between two brackets, so that it cannot sag, and to use thisrod either alone or in connection with a hollow tube, which is passed over it, as may be preferred; to combine in a'single piece an eye end and a slide, so that the bracket-arm will automatically adjust itself in any position in which it is placed, and to provide means whereby the chain can be tightened and loosened at will and locked in position so that it cannot be moved until the locking device has been operated before the crank is turned.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a roller for an awning and the chain and box connected thereto, the tube applied 'to the iron rod being shown partly in section. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the awning complete. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the box by means of which the chain is adjusted. Fig. 4. is a plan view of the box. Figs. 5 and 6 are perspectives of the slide, showing it in difierent positions. Fig. 7 is a view of the iron rod alone and provided with ball-bearings. Fig. 8 is aperspective of the box, taken from its rear side. Fig. 9 is a rear View of the box, showing the action of the locking-rod and the ratchet upon the wheel. plate which is secured to thebuilding and upon which the box is adjusted.

A represents a board of any suitable length and width, to opposite ends of which the brackets B are secured. These brackets must be of sufficient strength to stand the strain which will be brought to bear upon them in tightening the rod, and they also serve to prevent the'warping of the board A. Through these two brackets is passed the solid iron rod 0, whichis made screw-threaded at both ends and upon which ends are placed the screws D,.by means of which any desired amount of power may be applied to the rod 0 for the purpose of stretching it and preventing it fromsagging at its center.

rod, which serves as a roller. Owing to the strain applied to opposite ends of the rod for the purpose of straightening it, the rod Fig. 10 is a detached view of thealone would turn with considerable friction I of the nuts D for the purpose of preventing the tube from sagging at its center, as it will do where the awning is run from fifteen to twenty-fivefeet.

no tension applied thereto, turns freely upon the rod 0; but the rod serves to stiffen the tube and to keep it straight from bracket to bracket, so as to prevent any irregular motion taking place when the awning is either let out or drawn up. Whether the tube E or the rod 0 alone is used a suitable sprocket- 'wheel G is applied thereto, and over this This tube,- whic h on ly extends from bracket to bracket and, which has sprocket-wheel passes a chain H of suitable construction. The lower end of this chain passes around the wheel I, provided with the squared end J to receive the crank and which end projects outside of the box L. This wheel I is supported between the box L and the bearin g M, so that when the supporting-plate is removed the wheel can be removed at the same time. The wheel and the supportingplate are made entirely separate from the box, so that when the box is removed from the Vertical plate N the wheel and the plate can be removed from the box; but as long as the box is in position these two parts are locked securely in place. In the inner end of the wheel I is a socket which receives the bearing M, which forms a part of the supporting-plate N, which is placed in the back part of the box and which plate has an extension P upon its lower end, which extension is provided with a turned-out horizontal end P, which has a screw-threaded opening made therethrough.

Secured to the building or any permanent support is the plate Q, upon which the box L slides up and down, the inner edges of the box being provided with the turned-in edges R, which catch behind the plate Q and hold the block in contact with the plate while they allow the box to be adjusted vertically. The

lower end of the plate Q, which is stationary,

is provided with the turned-out part S,th rough which is made an opening, and through the opening in the turned-out ends S and P is passed the adjusting-screw T. This screw T is swiveled upon the lower end of the turnedout part S of the plate Q, so as to have merely a turning movement thereon. By turning the screw the box carrying the wheel I can be adjusted vertically to loosen or tighten the chain II, as may be desired.

In order to lock the wheel I so that it cannot be turned even though the crank is applied to the part J of the wheel, a rod U is placed inside of the box and is vertically adjustable therein. The lower end of this rod extends to the lower edge of the box L, while its upper end is turned at right angles and engages with the ratchet V, formed upon the end J. This upper end of the rod Uby catching in the ratchet Vprevents the wheel from being turned bythose who have no business to turn the crank should it be left upon the wheel, and hence this rod is entirely concealed from View. A person desiring to operate the crank must first insert his finger inside of the lower end of the box and raise this red until its upper end becomes detached from the crank, and then the crank can be freely turned and the awning adjusted at the will of the operator.

The awning-frame consists of the usual bent rod or arm \V, and to each end of this arm IV is screwed a slide X (shown more especially in Figs. 5 and 6) and which are provided with slots-which allow the slide to assume the two positions shown in Figs. 5 and 6 or any intermediate one between. The vertical guiderods Y, secured to the building, pass through the slots in the ends of the slides X, and these rods are curved at their lower ends, so as to permit the slides to assume the horizontal position shown in Fig. 6 when the awning is entirely extended, as shown in Fig. 2. Also secured to the side of the plate is a brace slide- :rod Z, one at each end of the awning, and both of these rods have their lower ends pivotally connected to the arms WV. When the awning is rolled up, the outer portion of the frame or arnrW rises, while their inner ends, provided with the slides X, sink upon the rods Y, and the brace-rods Z then simply assume a vertical position and drop, so as to stand nearly in a line with the front of the building. These rods Z form extension arms and supports for the awning-frame, and the object is to support the awning and form a pivot upon which the awning-frame turns when the awning is either rolled or unrolled.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In an awning, a board, brackets secured to opposite ends of the board, and a rod which has its ends passed through the brackets, com bined with nuts which are applied to the ends of the rod for stretching it, a sleeve which is placed upon the rod in between the brackets, and a wheel secured to the sleeve for causing it to revolve independently of the rod, substantially as shown.

2. In an awning, the supporting-plate Q, attached directly to the wall of the building, and which has its lower perforated end S turned outwardly, the box L provided with inwardlyturned points or projections B. for catching behind the plate, and which box is vertically adjustable upon the plate, and is provided with a perforation through its outer side, combined with a vertically-adjustable supporting-plate N, which is provided with an outwardly-turned projection at its lowerend, and a horizontal bearing at its upper one, the adj usting-screw T which is passed through the lower outwardly-turned ends of both of the plates, and by means of which the box and the parts connected therewith are adjusted vertically, and a sprocket-wheel having a socket formed in its inner end and a projection formed upon its outer one, the projection being made to pass through the opening in the outer side of the box, and the projection upon the upper end of the sliding plate being made to catch in the socket formed in the wheel, whereby the wheel is made to connect both the box and the sliding plate so that they move together, substantially as set forth.

3. In an awning, the plate secured directly to the side of: the building, the vertically-sliding plate in direct contact therewith, and which plate is provided with a projection or bearing at its upper end, and a verticallysliding box which is connected to and slides box and Wheel vertically, substantially as IO specified. v

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED L. CLARK.

WVitnesses:

GEO. E. FREOH, F. A. LEHMANN, 

